Cycling, either on a road bike, mountain bike, motorcycle, or other vehicle, is becoming increasingly popular. For safety purposes, cyclists utilize helmets to provide protection in the event of an accident.
If a cyclist wishes to listen to music or receive other audio information while cycling, safety concerns exist if the cyclist wears headphone speakers which physically cover the cyclist's ears. For instance, if a cyclist is using a conventional portable radio with a headset—such as a Sony Walkman™—safety concerns exist in that the headphone speakers physically cover the cyclist's ears and as such may be illegal in many states. Further, the wiring between the headphone speakers and the portable radio may also affect the cyclist's ability to operate the vehicle, as the wiring may become tangled or interfere with the cyclist's movement while riding.
As recognized by the present inventors, what is needed is a system and method for providing an integrated portable entertainment, information and communication system linked to a protective helmet via a wireless link, wherein the protective helmet incorporates speakers to provide audio to the cyclist and the speakers do not cover the cyclist's ears.
It is against this background that the various embodiments of the present invention were developed.